Concentrating apparatus



1,442,672. L. n. LANSDALE.

CONCENTRATING APPARATUS FILED JUNE 8,1920.

2 SHhE'IS-SHEEI l.

2 7 6 s 2 AT 4 1 EDH Jan. 16, 1923.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FILED JUNE 8,1920.

Patented Jan. E6, 1923.

11,2,t72 ar sauce.

LUDWELL D. LANSDALE, OF SUGAR LAND, TEXAS.

CONCENTRATING APPARATUS.

Application filed June 8,1920. Serial No. 387,456.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, LUDWELL D. LAns- DALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sugar Land, in the county of Fort Bend and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Concentrating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an apparatus for use in the manufacture of sulphuric acid and the like.

One of theobjects of the invention is to provide a simple apparatus, by means of which ordinary chamber acid may be treated and concentrated, to produce a high grade chemically pure colorless acid. A further object is to provide an apparatus of the character mentioned, constructed of a material capable of withstanding the corrosive action of the acid, under all conditions. A further object is to provide a simple and eflicient means for maintaining the acid at a high temperature during the treatment,

' whereby the aqueous fumes may be driven off, and a highly concentrated product obtained. A further object is to provide a concentrating apparatus constructed of units, which may be readily separated for purposes of repair, or for the substitution of new parts. A further object is to collect the fumes driven off during the heat treatment, and to condense them, whereby they may be utilized as a byproduct.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a concentrating apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention. Figure 2 is a top plan vlew, parts being broken away. Figure 3 is a detail sectional view illustrating one of the concentrating chambers. Figure 4 is a side elevation illustrating the apparatus fort condens- 11% the aqueous fumes. v

eferring to the. draw1ng,'10 designates a tank constructed to receive and store ordinary chamber acid developed in the manufacture of sulphuric acid, the same-having an outlet pipe 11. The discharge end of the \pipe 11, communicates with the inlet end of aconcentrating conduit formed of a plurality of units or chambers-512. Each unit.

12 is in the form of a pipe section, provided with an upwardly projecting inlet end 13,

g and a downwardly pro ecting outlet end 14,

diation of the heat.

unit is wrapped with an electrical resistance wire 17, of the character commonly employed in the manufacture of electrical heaters, and said wire is connected with a suitable source of electrical energy (not shown), so that the units 12 may be heated to a high temperature. Any desired heat insulation may be provided to prevent raone of the-well-known types of magnesia pipe covering indicated at-.18, which is covered with an asbestos cement 19, and finally wrapped in canvas or other fabric 20, which may be finished in any desired manner, for instance, by shellac-ing, to make it shrink sufiiciently to. produce a neat appearing job, and finally painting.

Leading from the tops of the units 12 are It is preferred to use fume-escape pipes 22, which discharge into a fume collecting chamber .23, of any suitable material, surrounded by a Water jacket 24, for the purpose of reducing the temperature of the gas fumes as they are discharged from the pipes 22. The fume collector may be constructed of any suitable material but is preferably lined with lead. Each unit '12may also be provided with means indicated at 16 for connection of a thermometer, pyrometer, or the like. It will be noted that the conduit formedby units 10 is arranged in approximate U-shape in plan, so that portions thereof may be located on bothsides of the fumes collector, and the latter is located between'the sets of pipes 22.

Leading from the fume collector 23is a conduit 25, which discharges into a bottom chamber 26, of a condenser receptacle 27 provided with a packing 28 of silica or other suitable material, the construction being similar to that of the well-known gas scrubber. Above the packing 28 is an outlet chamber 29, communicating with a discharge pipe 30, which leads to a second condenser receptacle 31 similar in all details to in communication wit said condenser receptacles being employed The discharge as occasion may require.

chamber 29 of the last condenser receptacle, is connected by a-conduit 33 with a stack 34, an exhaust device such as a fan 35, being.

interposed between the conduit 33 and the stack 34.

Discharging into the outlet chambers 29 of the condenser receptacles 27, 31 and .32, above the silica packing 28 arepipes 36, leading from a tank 37, containing liquid acid, said tank being cooled in any suitable manner, such as by means of the coil 38, conventionally illustrated. The chambers 26 of the condensing i:eceptacles are placed a receiving tank 39, by means of drain pipes'40. The chamber for the fan 35 is also provided with a drain pipe 41, leading to the tank 39. The tank 39 is cooled in suitable manner, as by means of the coil -42 conventionally illustrated. From the tank 39 the liquid acid is discharged into'the inlet pipe 43, of a common type of air lift, the outlet branch-44 of which discharges into the tank 37 as shown.

In operation the tank 10 is supplied with chamber acid of any desired strength, from any suitable source. The chamber acid is .discharged through the pipe 11 into the heating zones formed by the units 12, which are connected to form a continuous conduit,

- of substantial length. As the chamber acid travels through the conduit, the light aque- IIIVGIlt'lOII and described an operative'manous fumes are driven oif by the heat generated by the coils 17 and are discharged into the collecting chamber 23 by the pipes 22. As the acid travels progressively through the series of units 12, its degree of concentrationgradually increases, and the concen trated acid is finally passed through the cooling chamber C, from which it s discharged as a colorless chemically pure .acid, of any desired strength up to 98.3 H SQ4. '-It is to 'be understood that the strength of the acid delivered from the cooling chamber I C, may be varied either by increasing or reducing the quantity of chamber acid supplied to the apparatus, or by changing. the 'distance that the acid is caused to travel.

The fan. 35 in its operation, creates a suction, which induces a travel of the fumes from the collector 23, through the various condensing receptacles 27, 31 and 32. As the fumes travel upwardly through the silica packing, they come into contact with a body of 1i uid acid flowing in the opposite direction, rom the tank 37 through the pipes 39. A certain portion of the fumes thus coming into contact with the liquid acid, are condensed and will fiow through the drain pipes 41, into the receiving tank 40, and asthe condensed acid accumulatesof which ordinary chamber acid may be chemically treated, and concentrated to pro-' duce a high grade chemically pure acid."

By employing the pipe sections 12, any' number of units may be coupled, together, as may be desired, and by constructing said pipes of a material capable of withstanding the corrosive action of the acid, a highly efficient and durable apparatus is produced. By employing the electrical method of heating the pipe sections 12, the acid is maintalned at a high and uniform temperature during its treatment,- and the unit is symmetrically heated with respect to its. axis.

Should one of the units 12 become damaged or unfit for use for any reason, it may be readily disconnected in a short time, and a new one quickly substituted. Thus shutting 'down of the apparatus over long periods for purposes of repairs, is avoided. It will also be noted that a simple and eflicient apparatus has been provided to recover and condense the fumes driven 01f during the concentrating process. q

Having thus explained the nature of the ner. of constructing and using the same, although w'ithout attempting to set. forth all of the forms in which it may be'made, or

all of the forms of its use, what is claimed I 1 In aconcentrating apparatus of the character described a concentrating unit consisting of a pipe-like section through which chamber acid may be caused to travel,

means for, symmetrically heating said unit, and means for carrying off the fume's.

2. In a concentrating apparatus of the character described a concentrating unit through which chamber acid maybe caused to travel, a heat medium supported by and surrounding said unit, and means for carry- .lng ofl' fumes.

3. In a concentrating-apparatus of the characterdescribed a unit through which chamber acid may be caused to travel, a wrapping of electric'resistance wires surrounding said unit, whereby the samemay be heated, and means for carrying ofl" fumes.

4. In a concentrating apparatus of the character described a pipe section of acid resisting material through which chamber acid may be'caus ed'to travel, said pipe section having oppositely turned inlet and outlet portions, an intermediate fumes outlet, and a Wrapping of electric resistance wire surrounding said unit, whereby it may be heated.

5. A concentrating apparatus of the character described comprising a conduit through which chamber acid may be caused to flow, said conduit" being formed of a plurality of units connected in series, each unit having means whereby it may be independently heated, and means for carrying off the fumes from the heated acid.

6. A concentrating apparatus of the character described comprising a conduit through which chamber acid may be caused to flow, said conduit being formed of a plurality of units connected in series, and independent heating media surrounding the respective chambers, each unit having independent means for carrying off the fumes from the heated acid.

7. A condensing apparatus of the character described comprising a conduit through which chamber acid may be caused to flow, said conduit being formed of a plurality of units connected in series and arranged in different horizontal planes in stepped relation, each unit having means whereby it may be independently heated, means for carrying off the fumes from the heated acid, and means for cooling the concentrated acid.

8. A concentrating apparatus of the character described comprising a conduit through which chamber acid may be caused to flow, said conduit being formed of a plurality of units connected in series, each unit having means whereby it may be independently heated, a fumes-collector, fumes-escape .pipes leading from said units to said collec- 

